Can love and romance overcome societal disapproval of interfaith marriages?

This question is asked by many Egyptians who are keeping relationships secret due to the fear of public backlash. Religion is a very touchy subject in Egypt and often interfaith marriages can prove to be problematic. Sometimes they can even be deadly.

Why is it a taboo to marry a person from a different religion?

Many people see interfaith marriages as a channel for converting to the another religion. However, this argument collapses on itself because Muslim men can marry Christian women without either being forced to convert. The same cannot be said for Muslim women because, according to Islamic law, they are not allowed to marry non-Muslims. ...... Usually kept out of the public eye, discrimination against Coptic Christians in Egypt happens on a regular basis. For example, if a manager of a company is a “religious” Muslim, he’ll play favorites and could easily fire a Coptic Christian for little no reason. This discrimination that’s been going on for the last few decades has strengthened Christians bonds and added to the ostracism of anyone who leaves the community.

This discrimination has left the Egyptian society divided.

Furthermore, marriages and divorces are often regulated by the country’s religious institutions and though divorce can easily be obtained by Muslim Egyptian woman, it gets much harder for a Christian woman due to the strict rules of the church. For this reason, many Coptic Christians reject the idea of interfaith marriages.

In 2013, a Muslim man and five others were killed in Menya while five homes burned to the ground because of a romance that erupted between a Muslim girl and her Christian neighbor. Despite how common violence occurs due to interfaith relationships, it remains an undiscussed subject. Authorities, newspapers and local news often fail to report such stories and usually blame clashes on “abductions” or “family fights.” .... more at link